Fun Spider Web Facts – Don’t Walk Into One Unawares!

You’ve seen them around, and odds are they have probably freaked you out once or twice, but there’s a lot more to spider webs than most people think.

Spiders use silk glands and spinnerets (a special spider organ) to spin their webs; the glands produce the silk, while the spinnerets help the spider decide which type of thread is best. That’s right: Each species of spider can create a unique type of web using different types of silk, with their choice of textures, diameters, and stickiness factor.

Tangle Web

Unlike orb webs that encircle a center-point, these webs feature strands of silk that apparently lack any form or specific logic. However, they work pretty darn well for catching insects. They are often found in areas of low light so the spider’s prey doesn’t catch on until it’s too late. Once they’ve been around long enough to capture enough dirt and dust, they become the cobwebs with which we’re all plenty familiar.

Funnel Web

These webs get their name from their distinct conical shape. They are most commonly found in grassy fields around summertime, but can be spotted pretty much anywhere there’s a nice crevice. Funnel-web spiders typically hide at the base of the funnel and wait for prey to get caught in their trap.

Sheet Web

This style of webbing works much like a hammock. The spider will string strands of silk above its webbed sheet; when insects fly into them they fall right into the spider’s trap below. As soon as the prey hits the silky sheet, the spider will pull it through and make a meal out of it.

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